Florida football recruiting: The biggest flips in Gator recruiting history

Florida football recruiting biggest flips: Matt Elam (2010-2012)

Now we get to the highest-rated player so far on our list, Matt Elam. He was a top-15 player in the class of 2010 and was the top-rated safety that year as well.

To add to all of the hype around him, his recruitment was downright wild.

He originally committed to the Gators in October of 2008 and then took all of his official visits to schools like FSU, UGA, a few others, and of course the Gators.

A few weeks after his OV to Gainesville, however, he flipped to Florida State. That stung. Losing a player the caliber of Elam is never fun, and it’s even worse when it’s to your rival.

But that pain was short-lived. Less than two weeks after he flipped to FSU, he switched right back to the Gators.

A lot of what went into his decision was whether or not Urban Meyer would be coaching when he got there.

Once Florida finally got him on campus, he didn’t disappoint.

Over three years in Florida’s secondary he totaled 176 tackles and six interceptions, with a four-pick year in his final season in 2012.

Perhaps nothing he did had a bigger impact, or is more memorable, than this play against LSU:

Elam is one of those guys that make Florida DBU, and he’ll be remembered in Gainesville for a long, long time.